En Bref
#2Everything you never knew
you needed to know about the Saudi International

ZIAD IN
ACTION, AGAIN…

You
may guess how busy Ziad Al Turki - Saudi Promoter to who
we owe the five editions already event - is on PSA events. Of
course he relaxes sometimes, like for example
when he is in India, visiting Mumbai and playing a bit of
squash.

But
that’s the tip of the iceberg. Not only he’s having important
meetings every day, not only as PSA Chairman, not only he’s got
his own company to take care of, he’s got also two of his kids
with him, bit of a handful, aren’t you Duman and
Sharifa – his wife has to stay home in London to look after
the youngest girl, but he is keeping an eye on everything.

He
hates dirty glass courts, for example, and he made sure that the
cleaners were doing it right!

Also, this week, PSA is launching its
new
Streaming Channel any minute now, and we have Alex and
Lee, PSA’s CEO and COO here along with Daniel and Dominic
from Perform, not forgetting Omar, from PSA, to get it
right and offer you the best product available.

Well,
Ziad also wants/needs to make sure that everything is in place.

And he didn’t hesitate to get behind the wheel, sorry, the
camera, to check angles and all.

I know you may smile at all this. But like the top athletes
know, like I’m obsessed with, it’s all about ATTENTION TO
DETAIL…

They saidA “surprising” stroke at 8/7 against James in his last game
against Nick. James opens his mouth for the first time of the
match…

James:
“Don’t do that to me again, this is a crucial time, Ref. Did you
see how tight the ball was???

"No way this is a stroke…. I don’t practice tight balls for
hours for nothing…”

Ziad in Mumbai

Local ref
Waleed and Abdullah Altabash, his son, also a squash player,
plus

GET OUT, PLEASE?????

During the match between Adrian and Farhan, the court cleaner
was called a few times, not because of a slippery floor –
Saudi’s tournament has been experimenting a brand new floor for
the glass court, that is real success, no slipping, no bad
bounce, great stuff – but because of Adrian’s tendency to throw
himself on the floor to get Farhan’s stunning winners.

And on court comes a conscientious cleaner, who starts cleaning,
and cleaning, and cleaning. Thirty seconds, and Damien Green,
central ref, says the normal, “Thank you”.

The man doesn’t budge… He is doing his job, and thoroughly, I’m
here to tell you.

“Yes, thank you”. Nothing. “Thank you!!!!!” Cleaning goes on.

“Guys, push him off,” goes Damien with his notorious Australian
sense of humour. Ah, now we have a bit of movement. He goes for
the door, but as he is standing outside, he notices a stain on
the glass door. And off he is cleaning the door again…

One thing is sure, that man loves his job, and does it to
perfection. Shame I can’t take him home with me !!!!!

En Bref
#1Everything you never knew
you needed to know about the Saudi International

BYE
INDIA, WELCOME TO SAUDI…
After checking out, I had to go and have a last quick meal next
to the swimming pool, in a lovely shade. While Raj and
Ritwik were having a meeting with Alex Gough, PSA
Boss, in the patio inside, I was letting my mind go and wander….
The vegetation – bougainvilliers trees, don’t ask me the name in
English, in full bloom – the high trees, some people swimming,
some taking a not too hot sun, again, that feeling of peace all
around.

At 3pm, went into the Lobby, to meet with David Palmer,
who was on the same flight than mine. We made the big mistake to
tell Hisham – who is not the most punctual of all players
– and Ramy to join the fun, as their flight was 5m before
ours.

Of course, they arrived late. Of course, some of the volunteers
came to wave them goodbye, asked for souvenir photos, with and
without Ramy’s impressive trophy.

Off in a large car we went. And Hisham, the whole way, did the
show. A non stop mimic of all of us on the tour, accents,
expressions, stories. My abs still ache today cause I laughed so
much. That boy has got so much talent, I think after his career,
he should think about MCeing events, he would be perfect!!!!

The airport was well, a bit of a GI training session. First, you
queue to get in the airport. Then you queue about 45m to get to
the checking. Then you queue to pass security (mind you, I was
the only female, so I had a lane just for me, but waited about
15m for David to go through). Queue to get on the bus – we
nearly went on the wrong plane going to Chennai, as two planes
were boarding at the same gate!!). And of course, queue to get
on the plane.

Still, a nice flight, as David got us extra leg room, plus we
had an empty seat between us, great move…

I caught up a bit of sleep on there, and we arrived with only
30m delay in Bahrain, where Ziad was kind enough to take
Joey, David and myself in his car, which speeded up the
process immensely at the customs, although the system was down,
and it took a lot of time for us to finally get through. Poor
Ziad, I’m sure he regretted to be such a gentleman, without us,
we would have been home about an hour earlier!!!

Arrived about midnight, Adorable Emad was waiting for us
with our cabanas keys, and Steve with our restaurant card, and
as the food was still available, we had a nice bite before
crashing to bed. We don’t have internet in the cabanas, which
has the advantage to force me to go to bed instead of working
till uncanny hours!!!!

BREAKFAST AT THE HOLIDAY CAMP

I have to admit that the first morning here has been perfect.
Waking up at 12 Indian time, as in 9.30 here, I was sort of
refreshed, although I must admit, slightly KNACKERED!!!

As
I’m walking out, I’m meeting with Nick and Peter,
also on their way to the restaurant. As we are about to arrive,
a golf cart overtakes us, and at the back, lazy Ali and
Thierry… They are pros athletes, and they can’t get to
walk from their cabanas to the food outlet??? Bless….

We take a table, soon joined by Caroline Glain, who will
be in charge of my players bodies this week, a French therapist
that Greg, Thierry and many players already know and work with,
and Kempy, who I must say didn’t have the opportunities
to place a word, poor him…

And
as we start breakfast, we are not in a squash tournament with
top athletes anymore, but in a camp somewhere. “I want two
porridges”, says Nick to the waiter, “you can have mine”, says
Caroline. “Who wants my toasts”, I say, as I’m trying to keep a
gluten free diet, five hands rush to the plate I’m passing on
the other side of the table. “Whose got jam??”, “nobody, they
are out of it, but you can have my honey, if you want.”
“Yoghourt anyone”? “I’ve got a fruit salad here”…

The table is full, food is warm, and lovely, coffee is in
abundance, the waiters don’t know what to do to please us,
although they often don’t understand a word of our different
English accents. We are laughing, we are relaxing, we are…
happy.